Namimori High School Festival
by FinalXFantasy91
Summary: A month of peace after the Acro Rep., Sawada Tsunayoshi and his friends are welcoming their first year of Namimori High School Festival. However, after a calm there is always a storm. Especially when you have a demon-spawn of a Hitman named Reborn as your Home-Tutor. Get ready, there's a lot going on. And what? A prize from Vongola! Minor crossover with Shokugei no Soma
1. Bullet 1 - Suggestions are No Good

**Namimori High School Festival**

**By: Finalxfantasy91**

Disclaimer: All rights go to Akira Amano for KHR characters. Plot and OC's belong to me.

Note: This story takes place a month after the Arcobaleno Un-cursing arc. Knowing the Vongola (or plainly Decimo gen. lifestyle) a lot can happen during that time. Also, excuse my grammar mistakes. I don't really bother.

**I am Finalxfantasy91** on . If you are wondering why this one is different…well, I just haven't gotten around to updating it. And the stories there are int he process of remaking anyway (when I get the chance to).

**Bullet 1: Suggestions are No Good**

Sawada Tsunayoshi, 15 years-old, (_**ab**_)_**normal **_first year of Namimori High, felt stupid... Really, _**really**_, stupid...

How could he _**not**_ realize something was wrong when he didn't wake up to the _**loving**_ morning calls he usually gets from his tutor, Reborn: meaning a Leon hammer slamming onto his head (or any other bodily harm for that matter) and rain of bullets?

He _**should**_ have known something like this would happen. Why wouldn't it when he had openly talked about Namimori High's suggestion box for the school festival last night with his friends when they were over for dinner. The tutor/hitman's eyes were gleaming in mischief, brief appearance but disappeared the moment Tsuna could take another glance was all signs of hell coming for him as the Satan-hell-spawn. He _**should**_ have seen it coming when Reborn didn't try to steal his food that night (and this morning), sending him off without as much of a killing intent than usual.

Alarm bells were already ringing in his head, and what did Tsuna do? He waved it off... He, Sawada Tsunayoshi, waved off his hyper intuition; the one thing that saved his butt too many times to even count, and he blatantly waved it off. Oh how he regretted ignoring the warning signs.

Then again, he was still jumping with paranoia, expecting the ringing from the battle watches (which are long gone, but still felt as if it was still wrapped around his thin wrist). Even though everyone involved survived and the Arcobaleno's curse finally broken, he couldn't help but expect Kawahira to turn on him with the Sky orange pacifier ready to latch onto his life. A month passed by with positive results from Talbot and Kawahira. The Arcobaleno - Ex-Arcobaleno - are no longer restricted by the infantile curse and can restart on their lives. True they were still in infant state, but by the end of the year they should be showing signs of growing (something Tsuna wasn't looking forward to when it comes to Reborn. He did not want to know what his hell training entails when Reborn finally reaches his adult form).

That's another problem for another time. Back to the topic of his current despair…

Like wishing for his tortu-tutor-to stop what he was doing, smirking like a scheming devil, _**in front**_ of the _**entire**_ school population in his 'Reboyama-sensei' costume readying an announcement.

Yes, _**in front**_ of the _**entire**_ school populace. Why would everyone be in the auditorium, you ask? Well, it might be because the school faculty announcement echoed across the building for all students to be there so they could draw from the festival suggestion box…yes again…a drawing for the festival; and, do you know what else? That box, just so happens to be sitting innocently underneath the waiting palms of the disguised tutor.

'_Reborn, what are you doing?!'_ Tsuna thought in horror as his eyes met with said tutor when he entered the second floor of the auditorium.

'_What do you think I'm going to do, Dame-Tsuna?'_ the tutor's eyes practically replied back, smirk widening.

"Jyuudaime?" a familiar but concerned voice from behind him perked up in his hearing. "Is something wrong?"

"Tsuna, what's up?" another equally concerned voice asked when he didn't reply.

"Hayato...Takeshi..." he slowly said the first names of his friends (he realized a few weeks after the curse break, he had been calling everyone by last name basses; except for a few) closing his eyes in hopeful expectancy that he was imagining this realistic nightmare. "Please tell me you don't see a smirking tiny demon standing up at the podium with his hands on the suggestion box."

"Ummm... 'I don't see a smirking tiny demon standing up at the po-' Oww!" the oh-so-cheerful Takeshi rubbed the back of his head after Hayato hit him angrily.

"He didn't mean it literally, you baseball-sword-freaking-idot!" the silverette teen growled, glaring at the other.

"Haha, I knew that," he replied laughing. "I just said it for fun; hahaha! Whoa!" he dodged another hit.

"Guys," Tsuna pleaded he was having a nightmare; a very realistic nightmare. "Please!"

Both boys stopped their banter to look at their friend, clearly showing signs of distress, then at each other with curiosity before peering over to the stage they have yet to glimpse since their arrival. Both blanched in recognition of the Sun Arcobaleno by noting the curly sideburns (something they learned from Tsuna after having enough of their blindness of seeing his tutor right in front of them). By the way Reborn was smirking at them, he was going to push the young boss' stress level to the extremes.

Takeshi and Hayato looked to each other in silent conversation on what to do. Takeshi placed one finger on his lips questioningly. It took the bomber a minute to think about it before shaking his head, pointing at Reborn, who seemed increasingly menacing with every second he kept his gaze. The baseball star slumped with a silent sigh in defeat as Hayato broke the news.

"Sorry, Jyuudaime, but I do see someone standing on the podium...and it looks like Reborn-San."

"I was afraid of that..." Tsuna despondently sighed eyes opening, immediately sighting the smirking (_'It's growing wider...Why is it growing wider? Did he already do something?!') _hitman.

"What do you think the Kid will be doing?" Takeshi inquired following the despondent brunette to their seats. Only the silverette rolled his eyes at the obviousness of the rolling tapping fingers atop the suggestion box. But his irritation was more towards the sword-wielding Guardian calling the famous hitman a 'Kid' when he _knows_ that the Arcobaleno are much older than they appeared.

"To make my life miserable _('like always'),_" Tsuna muttered under his breath before suddenly being pushed from behind. Hayato and Takeshi, with quick reflexes, grabbed the brunette's arms, pulling him back upright. It was a close call with them being so close to the railing (though they knew he would survive it, it did not mean they wanted him to).

"Get a move on already, _Dame-Tsuna_!"

The trio glared up to the assailant; well Hayato and Takeshi were glaring, Tsuna just watched solemnly. Takusa Keita, if Tsuna remembered correctly, was an upperclassman who reefed for the Kendo match a year back. He was smirking smugly, as always, as Tsukamoto Yeijiro, another of the upperclassman that had given him the weighted gears, laughed. With those two there, meant that Mochida Kensuke was nearby. Tsuna was right as he looked further behind the two. Mochida hung back with a blank expression.

"That's not funny you bastards!" Hayato growled in fury. "Jyuudaime could have fallen over if we didn't catch him on time! Apologize!"

"Why should I, when he was blocking the way," Takuse sneered into their personal space.

"Yeah, you aren't too afraid of heights are you, _Dame-Tsuna_?" Tsukamoto taunted. "Maybe you should run home to mommy like you always do. Hahaha!"

Tsuna rolled his eyes at the usual bullying he received from the two Kendo members. Ever since Mochida's loss and hearing about his win over the Kokuyo gang (how that news spread, he would never point at the most likely suspect still watching him with those mischievous onyx eyes). They went above and beyond to make him miserable. He wasn't sure if it was just jealousy or grudge driven (probably both) to losing to _the Dame-Tsuna, _but it was getting seriously annoying. This was the seventh attempt this week out of the seven hundred that he had received the last semester.

However...he has noticed something odd.

It wasn't noticeable at first, since crazy events kept taking up as first priority: the future fiasco, inheritance ceremony, Shimon betrayal then alliance, and the latest, Arcobaleno Representative battle. Now that he didn't have to jump into some sort of battle with relative peace for the last month, he noticed that the Kendo captain's demeanor had changed since he was released from the hospital (during his week stay before returning to the future).

"I wouldn't threaten Tsuna anymore if I were you, _Senpai's_," Tsuna blinked pulling away from his thoughts in hearing Takeshi's _'I'm-pissed-so-you-better-back-off-now'_ voice; a rare occurrence in his opinion.

The two stepped back alarmed by the sudden coldness of those words. Students nearby stared owlishly, never having heard their baseball ace look so serious outside of a game. In fact, this wasn't even his in-game seriousness but something entirely foreign.

"'_Or_,' what, Yamamoto...?" Mochida questioned, stepping forward in front of his team members, for the first time in their presence.

'_I'm right,'_ Tsuna thought with a frown._ 'Something is different. Mochida's personality was not like this before. But this feeling... I have felt this before but where have I...?'_

"'_Or,_' you will be losing something _really _important," the Rain Guardian threatened, hand's moving towards his Vongola-X gear necklace, the Storm doing the same with hands hovering over the red belts.

The gesture, Tsuna admitted, wouldn't be threatening in a civilian's perspective. Which was why Takuse, Tsukamoto and the rest of the eavesdroppers were pulling confused expressions. Mochida's reaction, however, was different.

A year ago, Tsuna wouldn't notice the change, but after Reborn's constant Spartan training methods he could see the shift in Mochida's weight to the balls of his feet readying to defend or attack.

Mochida's gaze flickered to Tsuna. With a click, the last of the puzzle pieces fell into place. The reason for the kendo captain's lack of cockiness as he stayed to the sidelines. Eyes flickering with weariness and cunning intellect. Even if his emotions were hidden, he could see his expectancy from him. Just like Hana's when she confronted him a few weeks prior; though, she was more along the lines irritated.

She was fed up with them disappearing and wanted answers why she had realistic dreams since the earthquake.The same earthquake resulted from the Arcobaleno's '_presents_' after they re-stabilized the world of the future.

'_He had his future-self'__s memories...__'_

However, he wasn't a 100% positive of the answer, even with his intuition pulsed in agreement at his conclusion, he was still wary in Mochida's actions. If what he remembered was correct, the future Takeshi (the first time he had arrived in the future), he said something about "_losing contact with Kensuke"_. Closing his eyes, Tsuna concentrated in collected a small part of his flames (finally managing to do so without outside influences). Gently he placed his hand on Takeshi and another to bar Hayato from doing anything unnecessary.

They didn't protest, to many onlookers surprise. The famous (one-sided) bickering duo would usually blow over their brunette friend's attempt in stopping them (err...the silver-headed Italian)...moved back, although still tense, as if by order or hostility.

Then...Tsuna opened his eyes.

Bystanders (besides Tsuna's friends) breath hitched in awe. The chocolate brown eyes that usually adorned the _Dame _student in such innocence, seemed to mature in moments (many girls, and a few boys, suddenly found themselves blushing); glow like a blazing flame was lit behind them. Shivers went down their spine feeling themselves being judged; everything exposed from their soul, either be it sin or embarrassment even though the gaze were nowhere on them.

No one moved.

No one made a sound.

To do so would seemingly bring some sort of wrath upon them.

Mochida, for his part, didn't even flinch as he stood there, keeping his eyes locked onto the brunette's. He showed himself as who he was and is; not afraid of the exposure; not a piece of him hidden. Trust clearly shown, along with his resolution, to the test before him...

A minute passed but it felt like an eternity for many. Everyone expecting to witness the beginning of what could become a fight, swallowed thickly. Another proclamation of another duel between an angered Kendo captain who lost to _Dame_-_Tsuna_. Instead, what happened next left all (including the forgotten kendo members) rushing to calm down their flushing cheeks.

Tsunayoshi closed his eyes, heaved out a sigh of...relief?...and smiled brightly.

Like a cue, both Takeshi and Hayato relaxed. Takeshi was back to his laughing bright self; Hayato still had his scowl, but in lesser degree.

Mochida also heaved a sigh, a playful smirk adorning his lips, his body he didn't realize was tense, relaxed.

"All right guys," the Kendo captain said snapping everyone out of their confused daze. "Shows over! Let's get to our seats now! We don't want Hibari Kyouya to come "_Bite us to death" _for continuing this crowding_!_"

Takusa and Tsukamoto, confusion on their faces, didn't even hesitate, slipping past them (though for some reason they tried to not even touch Tsuna, even with the narrow space). Everyone else, who were still recovering from the blinding-Tsuna-smile, followed in a quicker pace upon hearing the lurking Disciplinary Committees Chairman's (who shouldn't even be in the school any longer) name.

Mochida turned to them and stepped forward, speaking softly enough just for them to hear, "Sorry...Boss...Was just checking if what I kept _dreaming_,true or not. This will not happen again."

"Its fine...Kensuke-Sempai...and call me Tsuna," Tsuna hesitated, but glade it wasn't rejected when a smile widened on the Captain's face. "You should understand that the main _Clams_ didn't have the memories of that time. However, it shouldn't be an excuse since I heard about what you did my first stay there. The only one I know that were involved and in the school is Kurokawa-san, and she was the one to confront me about it."

"Ah, that explains a bit," Mochida...Kensuke thought taking in the new info, until his name was called by the Tsukamoto. "Ah, I have to get going...Tsuna. I'll be coming by sometime at your house with a few others. We've been wanting to speak to you sooner." The three rose eyebrows at that. "See you later." He gave the three a slight bow and left to his seat. Those that were close enough to observe the peaceful conversing to someone that he once was hostile towards, stared dumbfounded and mind even more befuddled by the sudden change in attitude.

"Why that lousy son of a-" Hayato started, growling under his breath.

"Language, Hayato," Tsuna warned pinching the bridge of his nose. One puzzle solved, a black box is now back in the forefront of problems.

"But he-!"

"Maa~maa~... he's now in-the-know, Haya-chan. Give him some slack..." Takashi smiled, much to the relief of many of his fans. Unfortunately, there were some that were too traumatized to see their supposedly eternally smiling baseball ace threatening a person.

"You Baseball-idiot! Don't call me-"

"_All students, please be seated so we can begin..."_ the Principle abruptly announced to the still dawdling students, cutting Hayato from what would have started another (one-sided arguments). Though his eyes were up onto the second floor so he must have seen the commotion.

"Come on guys," Tsuna groaned walking to some empty seats. _'Let's get this soon-to-be-hell over with.'_

~Vongola Style~

As the noise settled down, the Principle started what Tsuna was sure going to haunt him in his nightmares forever.

"_As announced two days ago, we have asked all of you to place any suggestions in this box for the upcoming School Festival."_ His arm swept towards Reborn and the said object. _"__This is per instructed by the famously, renown, Reboyama-sensei __**('Haha, it's actually infamously renown...' - Tsuna thought)**__, we are bypassing the traditional approach of individual classrooms in choosing on what to do."_

It took a minuted but Tsuna finally processed what the aging Principle had said, eyes widening with every revelation. _'Wait, what did he say?! '__**Per**__**instructed**__'__?! __**Reborn**__**suggested**__ to do this!? __**HE KNEW ABOUT THIS ALL ALONG**__!?__'_

"_Class representatives are to come down and pick out of this box a suggestion. Whatever is picked must be done. Do not worry about getting the same choices; we have already taken out all repetitive suggestions, and I must say, we have a lot to look forward to seeing in the festival."_ He smiled brilliantly at the students who hooted in positive response, basking in the children's energy. After another minute he raised his hand to quiet down.

"_However, I feel that creativity will be lacking. So,"_ Tsuna dreaded when the Principle paused walking over to Reborn. _"__Reboyama-sensei has provided a motivator."_

Both Hayato and Takeshi winced when they saw Reborn smirk. The hitman, beady eyes zeroing-in on Tsuna. The young boss-in-training didn't like where this was heading, his intuition becoming deafening by the second as the mic was handed over to the mini-Satan.

"_A dear __**Friend**__ of mind has donated a special (and I do mean __**very**__ special) prize to the winning class." _The brunette's jaw dropped in disbelief as students around him (and friends) chatter excitedly on what it could be. _"__To get it, your class must follow the requirements that will come with your suggestion as well as receive the most reviews for their class-booth by the end of the first day... Any questions?"_

He waited a bit but didn't find any student's raising their hands, but each student (except Tsuna... and Kyouya, wherever he was, since the festival meant crowding) looked too eager to begin.

"_None? Well, let's begin the selecting,"_ Reborn said like a magician beginning his act before he handed the mic back to the Principle, then disappearing off the stage (not before, giving a mentally hyperventilating Tsuna, one last smirk).

"_Will each female of the odd-class representatives from A-1 to C-3 please come forward; Males from the even-class representatives from A-2 to C-4 come forward. The rest of the school is dismissed to their homerooms. Once you get your theme and requirements begin planning on how to win; but, be warned...Sabotage will be an immediate elimination of the prize. I am having the D.C. keeping lookouts (Everyone shuddered, knowing a demon Prefect eye's will be following them throughout their constructions). Dismissed!"_

With that, Tsuna's body sagged, dreading in what Reborn had in store for his class.

'_And why the seven hells did Grandpa agree to helping out in Reborn's schemes? What was he thinking?!"_


	2. Bullet 2 - A Twist of Cliché Themes

**Bullet 2: A Twist of Clich****é ****Themes**

Class B-2 chatted excitedly waiting for their class representative and school-idol, Sasagawa Kyoko, to return with their theme. In the mean time, they continued to conjure their own assumptions as to what they would be doing. And, Like usual, a familiar group of people watched silently in concern as their boss continued to hit his forehead against his desk, muttering about a Satan-spawn ruining his life. Comfort him would have helped no one. Once Reborn is involved it would end in chaos whether it is for their benefit _('nope')_ or his own amusement _('yeah, that sounds more like him')_.

The door to the classroom opened turning all heads in attention. The anticipation on the student's faces deflated at the sight of Loser-Enma, and returned to their previous engagement of theories. The red-head quirked an eyebrow at the odd-reaction , slid the door closed and went over to the group still watching Tsuna.

He had just returned from his one-day trip to Italy and back to settle his Famiglia's affairs officially. The Simone elders allowed him back to the Sawada residence and will take care of the matters of alliance to the Vongola, Chiavarone, Giglio Nero, and Gesso Family's with the promise he would take over the Famiglia once he graduates from High School.

"Umm... Did I miss something?" he asked, stopping Tsuna from anymore brain damage (not likely to happen if Reborn's continuous attempts of bashing his head in with a Ten-ton-Leon mallet hasn't done anything to him yet).

"You just missed the Kid-"

"Stop calling Rebor-_yama_-san a Kid, you Baseball-idiot!" Hayato cut in annoyingly on the casual call, stumbling over Reborn's alias.

"-announcing the Vongola being the sponsor for our school festival," Takashi laughing halfheartedly and continued to laugh as the bomber started their (one-sided) bickering once his anger rose high above the clouds at being ignored.

"The class representatives will pick out a suggestion from the box and also receive a requirement given by the Vongola," Hana decided to input.

"And Vongola is giving out a prize to the winning class with the most creativity, Desu~" Haru answered excitedly in her usual manner. A few onlooking males go into a love struck daze caught by the corner of a certain teen's eyes blazing in fury.

_~Brief Explanation~_

_[A week after the Arcobaleno Representative battle, Haru decided to transfer into Namimori in order to be with everyone. She gained quite a reputation once science class rolled around with their teacher Nezu Dohachiro (Tsuna wondered if the man was stalking him in order to get revenge for almost being fired)._

_Within the first ten minutes, she was in a rile of corrections and questioning of his academic credentials. It only got interesting from there, but I will not bore you with the details. Let's just end it with the principle being involved and having a replacement teacher afterwards._

_Immediately, she became another of the male populations school female idols, with Chrome, Hana, and Kyoko. And with the amount of idols they had in the school, altogether, they wanted to make a club. It was just unfortunate that the Disciplinary Committee (also fallowing into High School, much to everyone's fear) forbid such crowding. There were some brave souls that tried but the next day, they were mysteriously beaten, hogtied and left sitting in front of the Disciplinary Committee's door (much to Kyouya's pleasure) with a video recording of the meet. No one tried to make a club again. Too bad it didn't stop the students to use the idols as eye-candy.]_

_~End Explanation~_

Enma nodded slowly as to affirm, but his eyes showed he was still not getting as to why that seemed like a bad thing.

"Since Rebor-_yama_-sensei said the Vongola will be giving out the prize," Chrome quietly started speaking up only enough for him to hear. "Bossu will _**have**_ to win the competition."

"EHH!?" Enma exclaimed in alarm.

Tsuna mumbled something unintelligent under his breath. Chrome, being the closest, blushed (he was cursing in every language he learned throughout the month he was with said tor—tutor).

Hana sighed, how two of the Dame-duo ended up as the Decimo Bosses to two of the most famous _Multi-Billion Enterprises_ (their public identity) in the world, could make a plan in battle could act like it was the end of the world. Then again, she didn't know Reborn as well as the others.

Again the door opened and this time their classmate's clamored in eagerness when Kyoko entered the room with the suggestion on hand. She wrote it on the board so that everyone didn't have to get the paper to see what they got.

A few seconds later many of the girls squealed and the boys whooped in excitement as if they were handed a one-way ticket to heaven. Tsuna, in dread, looked up...

_'Oh no...'_ instantly he knew that Reborn must have rigged it, how else would they get everything he didn't want to do and show.

On the board, it read:

_**Theme: Maid &amp; Butler Cafe**_

What? Didn't sound too bad? Then let's add the requirements which Kyoko added a few minutes after everyone calmed down, copying the note in detail with a familiar smiling green chameleon with a speaking-bubble next to it:

_**'Must include exotic pets to win!'**_

There was no way, anybody outside of Tsuna's Famiglia and ally's, knew about the few pets that were sure to be illegal to keep without a license (which they do have -Another story for later).

"What kind of mixture is that?!" one of the students protested upon seeing the requirements.

"Is that even allowed?" another asked dubiously.

"Well, the principle did look through them... and it doesn't sound _too_ bad..." Mostly everyone agreed as they held most of the popular students (Baseball ace Takeshi, Delinquent yet genius Hayato, The mysterious Chrome, Ice-Queen Hana, Beautiful Kyoko, and Endearing Haru) in their class gathered together with a Dame-redhead trying to comfort a certain Dame-brunette from whatever crises he was having (if banging his head against his desk over and over was any indication).

The exploits they could do with just this theme. Many of the students were practically salivating, having three birds killed with one stone.

1) They would get to see their school idols/stars in butler/maid uniforms.

2) Because of their popularity, they would get the most votes to win the prize Reboyama-sensei had told them that their investors had provided.

3) The school would get the most recognition because of them which would mean they would be remembered throughout Namimori High's history.

"Alright! We will win for sure!" another student yelled, blinded in excitement once again.

"But... does anyone have any exotic pets other than a cat or dog? It's the requirement we have to have in order to get the prize," voiced one of the students holding their paper causing everyone's thoughts came to a halt upon that realization. The skyrocketed emotions upon thinking they secured their spot as top they had forgotten about it, to plummet, crash and burn from where they launched from.

"Not only that. Someone has to make the desserts and beverages to do a café," Siagyo Suzue decided, flipping her dark blue hair, eyes of amber flashing in interest; Arms across the underside of her uniformed bosom (some boys were practically drooling at the overflow).

"Who died and made ya' commander of 'Who should make the desserts?'" protested Soseki Nobuyori slamming his hands on his desk narrowing his dark stormy gray irises, sometimes hidden behind the messy trimmed black hair, staring slightly up towards her. "As ya' known since childhood, I 'ave been workin' and livin' with chiefs all day! I should be the one ta' be doin' the job, Ahou-Zue!"

"What was that Baka-Yori?!" she screeched glaring at her childhood friend. "I heard that you haven't even baked your father's simplest cookies and you think you should be the one?!"

"Better than some half-headed-buffoon bakin' a premade one!"

"It's cheaper that way!"

"But it has no love in it! And it's unhealthy!"

"Are you implying that I am fat?!"

"Wha-? NO! I was just-"

"Maa~maa~," Takeshi interfered getting in-between the two before anything crazy would start as he used his cheerful smile to calm everyone else. "We can't be fighting amongst ourselves. I would have suggested Kyoko and Haru, as they make the best food for parties; but they decided to work on the clothes for everyone."

"Eh?!" Asai Megumi, one of Kyoko's (self-proclaimed-yet-closer-than-most) friends, cried out in surprise with the other (self-proclaimed) friends around her. "But why Kyoko-chan? You make the best cakes! We won't win the best voted to get the prize if you aren't making those sweets like last time." Many agreed, seeing as she had brought a batch during lunch; everyone ignored the flustering gravity-defying-haired brunette waving his hand at them with pleading eyes not to say anything. However, they only grinned wider.

"Oh, I'm not the one that made them," Kyoko giggled causing some of her fans to blush.

"Huh?" the floundering increased.

"Yeah! Tsuna-san was the one who made all of that Desu~!" Haru exclaimed.

"Megumi-chan, you even tried his chocolate mousse cake during lunch, yesterday."

Everyone blinked, thinking that they heard wrong. But the smiling expression on the idols face made them blink again; then all heads turned towards the furiously blushing gravity-defying haired Dame-brunette, standing by the sympathetic, equally Dame-red head, Kozoto Enma.

"What? Dame-Tsuna made that amazing-chocolate-to-die-for-cake? And that fruit tart? And-and... OMG!" Megumi asked her green eyes going wider by the second, her eyebrows going up to her curly blond hair, as she remembered the mouthwatering desserts. Tsuna just blushed even darker as more people stared.

"Th-then did he also make that triple berry parfait?" (Horror came across a certain red head's face as he did the same gestures Tsuna made earlier to the girls.)

"Oh no," Chrome spoke softly (no longer as shy most of the times thanks to her time spent with Adel) but heard by everyone. "That... (pointing towards the other of the Dame-duo)... was Enma-kun," she smiled more brightly in the mischievous plan. "And not only parfaits, he came make the best espressos that would even make him a master barista _('though Bossu can do the same as well')._"

"EHHH?!" they exclaimed again sending them both down a flushing frenzy.

"It seems Sawada has his mother's talents. Though that's not surprising since Tsuna is her son; and since Enma is living with them the past few weeks... Well, she is one of the best cooks in our town," Hana smirked enjoying the show of finally letting her monkey clan of classmates to know the Dame-Duo were not as useless as they portrayed. Wasn't there a saying, '_appearance can be deceiving'_? It fits perfectly with those living under the Sawada residence.

"Haha, that's true. My dad always compliments her whenever we have a party over at Tsuna's," Takeshi laughed.

"As expected of the Jyuudaime's!" Hayato praised catching on to the girls plan to get the damn title off of the two greatest (future) bosses.

The students looked at each other realizing she was right.

_~Brief Explanation~_

_[Once upon a time, Sawada Nana had entered into a cooking competition during a Namimori Seasonal Change Festival and won by a landslide. Those that judged practically latched onto her the moment she stepped off the stage asking where she had learned as they were chefs in their respective fields. She created a three course meal with a taste that surpassed their own skills._

_Her response became the talk of the town._

_Who would have thought that she's a graduate student of the Totsuki Academy*, the hellish of a school who procured so many high-class chefs? The chef judges begged her to work for their restaurant, only to be turned away. After that, she never entered into contest again, much to a lot of people's disappointment._

_However, that didn't stop aspiring young chefs of Namimori hoping for a chance to train under her._

_For a year, sightings of those individuals were welcomed into her house to take a lesson. An hour later, or for the record of 30 minutes, the ran out crying about her unbelievable teaching methods and muttering that she was a demon in disguise, or so the rumors said. Of course, a lot of people didn't believe it._

_Nana just seemed too ditzy at times a simply carefree housewife, why would she be (as one of the traumatized students detailed) throwing knives at them? Whatever the case, after a year, no one dared to go for her lessons. That left her with lots of time outside with her friends as many students have seen.]_

_~End Explanation~_

"I-I don't believe that!" Nobuyori yelled pointing at them breaking everyone from their thoughts. "If they are so good at cookin'; why 'aven't they shown any of it durin' Home Economics besides burnin' everythin'?!"

Multiple nods from most of the student body in the classroom agreed.

"Well... that's because..." Tsuna and Enma trailed off to looking at each other. How could they tell them that the reason it was burnt was to protect them from being poisoned?

Bianchi (somehow registered as their Home Ec's class teacher) didn't like the observation of how the two, she regarded as her surrogate brothers were being bullied, so she brought up the idea in class to share each others food to comment on what should be changed; And, due to her Omerta of not being able to directly poison the bullies (NOTE: the word _Directly_), she decided to get them to ingest their food when it's their foods turn to be criticized.

It worked out (though the plummeting of their grade resulted in Reborn's lovely tor-tutoring sessions and the scorpion's poison cooking after school lessons –- much to her and the girls delight and to their horror).

Not a single student had the stomach to eat the charcoal they purposely made. Good...

The fact that it became a bigger reason for the bullying resulting in Bianchi's (and Guardians of both Famiglia's) planning methods to get back at them were growing. Bad...

And speaking of the she-devil.

"That sounds like a declaration of a dual."

Again, heads turned towards the honey sweet seductive voice of a certain pink haired woman leaning against the door-frame. Though a part of her face was covered by the face by goggles, she still retained her beauty causing many of guys to think inappropriately; and the girls to sigh at how such a person could be so radiant.

"Bianchi-sensei!" many chorused in delight.

"Geh, Aniki..." Hayato grimaced. He didn't pass out, thanks to the partial face-covering, but that didn't mean he was over the trauma of trying her cooking.

"Oh, Hayato, when will you ever get over that sickness of yours," Bianchi sighed pulling out a purple concoction heading towards him. "Why don't you try this?"

"W-what is that?" the bomber paled, mind going a mile a minute analyzing the bottle... whatever was in his sister's hand was raising red flags as he backed up further and further towards the opposite end of the wall. "NO, STAY AWAY YOU CRAZY WOMAN! I AM NOT DRINKING SOMETHING THAT YOU MADE!" he yelled as his eyes grew bigger with ever step she took with her concoction closing distance.

"Aww~, but Hayato, didn't you say that the best way to help you out of that sickness was by helping?" she smiled secretly enjoying her brother's helplessness.

"YES, BUT NOT IN THIS WAY!" he scooted against the wall trying to go anywhere but near her and that vile object. That is, until he met the corner. Seeing as he was trapped he knew he had two options. One was to blast her out of the way. But he, despite his dislike of his sister, didn't want to harm her. The other option... she came closer and couldn't take it anymore. He did the one thing that he saw as his last resort (something that Bianchi was trying to coax out of her brother for a very long time). "TSUNA-SAMA, HELP!"

She smiled mentally in victory in getting her stubborn little brother to ask for help.

"Bianchi-nee-san, please don't traumatize your brother anymore, and tell us why you are here," Tsuna sighed taking the purple bottle from her hand to rescue his right-hand man (breathing in relief before quickly going back to the others). The swift movement, getting to the sensei's side, without anyone else noticed, made everyone blink multiple times to make sure he was even there. Actually, many were wondering when in the world Dame-Tsuna was close enough to the new teacher to even start calling her _nee-san_ instead of _sensei_. And what exactly was the famous Gokudera Hayato so afraid of about his sister's cooking (NOTE: they have never tried her cooking as she never cooks herself during class).

"Oh, you're no fun Tsu-chan. But, you must be just as happy for me getting Hayato to ask for help and calling your name _(finally)_, at least," she quietly said getting the brunette to blush. How fun it is to tease her surrogate brother. "Anyways, I was passing by when I heard someone declare a dual," Bianchi nonchalantly turning back towards the curious students eyes on Nobuyori, "As your instructor in Home Ec. I will approve the usage of my classroom."

"Great! Now we will really see if ya' two can really do what they say ya' can, or be the horrible cooks ya' two really are," and with that he went out of the room.

"Baka-Yori, always getting worked up over hearing someone being better than him in making desserts," Suzue said disapprovingly, giving the sensei a bow before following her childhood friend with her friends and other students tagging along.

"Oh no, you two," Hana caught the back collars of the Dame-Duo's ('She doesn't even have rubber arms, and yet she got us... two people from different places in the room,') before they ran off dragging the two behind her. "You are not getting off the hook this time. I want to see the faces of those monkeys after they find out why they should know someone before labeling someone. Besides, I'm craving as it is this time of month."

Tsuna and Enma couldn't help but cry at their misfortune of not keeping their ordinary life any longer. Not to mention the horrors that will follow them after today.

_~Vongola Style~_

_*Totsuki Acadamy - from Shokugeki no Soma if you guys don't know that._

**Character Bio's**

_I don't use OC's that much. But it's much better than labeling them as either 'student 1' or 'student 2'. It just doesn't seem right to leave all the students out of the story anyway._

\+ Sigyo Suzue (OC) dark blue long straight hair, amber eyes, large bosom, 5'4''

Somehow self-made coordinator of the whole class project even when Kyoko is the class rep. Family is consistent of lawyers and doctors and dreams to become one of those (childhood friend of Noboyori – crush)

\+ Soseki Nobuyori (OC) Messy trimmed black hair, front fringes also messily cut but long enough to cover his dark stormy gray eyes; 5'0''

Family made entirely of chiefs, coordinates normal food. Wishes to be patisserie (childhood friend of Suzue – crush)

\+ Asai Megumi (OC) Layered mid body length hair dyed a similar color to match Kyoko (actual color is actually a darker brown; eye color is gray with mixture of brown; 5'2''

A self-proclaimed-yet-closer-than-most friend of Kyoko. She is not very self-confident and only follows others just to fit in.


	3. Bullet 3 - Baking Is So One-Sided

**Chapter 2: Baking One-Sided**

"Tsuna, I don't know about you, but I kind of wished we never presented those desserts during that celebration," Enma said as he grated the coffee beans with an old fashion style coffee bean grater since he didn't have the luxury of those automated ones on hand due to the school budget (actually, Reborn does, seeing him drink coffee while appearing from his many hiding spots located in the school. He just wanted them to do it themselves).

Instant would have been faster, but after living and being _tutored_ by a certain Satan reincarnated Hitman, his and Tsuna's (his _so_ much longer) tastes couldn't handle the now labeled _sludge_ of coffee.

"Don't remind me," said other sighed deeply, his eyes glancing at the girls (Chrome, Kyoko, Haru, Hana, and Bianchi if you have forgotten). He shivered upon seeing their lusting eyes watching his every move, not to mention the utter awe the rest of his classmates were directing at them (which they were bluntly ignoring since they didn't want to die just yet) as he started making the cream and watching the chocolate melt.

"I was sure my arms were going to fall off when they took a bite into my chocolate mousse cake. It's such a simple recipe, yet they insist mine is, in their words, "_So much more delicate and richer than any store they went to."_ They asked for _seven_ servings. _Seven_!"

"You should have heard them comment on mine, _"__It's not bitter and smoother to take in, please make more Enma-kun!"_…" the red-head shivered placing an ongoing flame under the bulb full of water and a cloth-filter snug tight atop of it awaiting the water to boil upwards. "The way they said it made me wish I was facing Bermuda again." He started the timer to the side, just in case he forgets as he makes the strawberry parfait. "Anyways… Tsuna?"

"Hmm…" the other hummed in response as he folded in the melted chocolate into the air saturated cream.

"Should we do something about those two?" he thumbed over to the cheering duo of a certain Rain and Storm Guardians. "They are kind of embarrassing."

"You can do this Jyuudaime's!"

"Go, Tsuna, Enma!"

"…." The brunette looked at them with half lidded eyes, sighed again and returned to his work, making the cake batter while the cream was cooling in the fridge. "Don't bother. They will keep doing it even if we ask them not to."

"Oi, you two better not be slackin' over there while I am doin' my hardest over here!" Nobuyori yelled pointing at them with a spatula full of… cookie batter…? Wasn't something like that supposed to be firmer… not like the downright drippy water consistency?

"Ummm…. Sure…?"

"This is why I told him that he was never going to be a patisserie," Suzue muttered face-palming in embarrassment.

Everyone sweat-dropped, unsure if they should insert on that comment, it was just terrible… On another note… the dame-duo's, two people who always seemed to trip over nothing and seemed to not be able to do anything right… right in front of them, is creating something that may seem simple but very complex at the same time.

The students were practically in a daze. It was as if they were dancing, gracefully doing everything in such perfection. And some had to admit, they looked downright hot.

_~Vongola Style~_

Half an hour later, there was a (extra) large chocolate mousse cake and many elegantly made strawberry crème parfait in the fridge ready for the lunch break. A fresh batch of old-fashion made espresso, topped with a little bit of whip (leftovers from Enma's or Tsuna's) and a dash of nutmeg, ready for everyone to try right away.

Those that snapped out of their awe, entranced by the smell (meaning the classmates, students from other classes, and _almost _all of the faculty ahem-Nezu-excluded-ahem) grabbed a cup first, thought Kyoko and the others got theirs much sooner (and let's not forget the sudden appearance of a smirking Reborn holding a green camcorder stating, "Your _family_ will remember this day as the _beginning_ of your career in school," much to the duo's horror). Many practically melted at the taste on their first sip. It wasn't bitter and it didn't leave an aftertaste like the instant black coffee, nor was it too sweet with the whipped cream. Everything was in balance.

And once lunch rolled in, it took only one bite of the desserts for everyone (females with a few males mixed in) fell in love. Thus, it was the start of the Duo's new fan club. To the views of the two bosses: the students were surrounding them like a pack of wolves eyeing their new (fearful) prey.

Nobuyori, however, despondently drew circles in his flour covered worktop after finding his _cookies _come out as crisps. He was just so sure this time he would be able to make something to impress Suzue instead of failing like this. Three years of being mentored by his family, this is all he could do? Then again, his family didn't trust him in the kitchen after almost burning it down the first time so he wasn't really allowed to do anything besides watch.

He looked up to Suzue with her group of friends savoring the taste of the desserts, "That seems like the only thin' I can do apparently."

"Doing what?" a voice squeaked besides him.

"Watchin'," he sighed at her beautiful smile that broke out after she ate another bite of the delicacy.

"So you want Sigyo Suzue to be your girlfriend," It was a statement more than a question after a sound of sipping from a cup. At first he hummed but the teen practically fell over after realizing he was talking to _someone_ and not his conscience.

"WHAT?! WHO-" he stopped there when he turned to the person. At first, he thought something was wrong with his mind. In front of him is a… baby? Wearing a black suit, tie, yellow pacifier (fake of course) around his neck, fedora and a… is that a live green chameleon sitting on its rim?

As soon as he thought that, he was facing the said chameleon which now looked like a green gun aimed directly at him causing him to back up to the oven's.

"Quick reflexes... that's good," the baby said releasing his aim as the gun (_'I'm not imagining things. That chameleon turned into a gun,'_) reverted back to its original form.

"W-who the heck are ya'? A-and how can y-ya' talk?"

"If you want to get the girl," the baby bypassed the questions like there never was any. "You will have to impress her away from my students," he then nodded to the two Nobuyori was competing with.

His eyes practically widened in disbelief when Suzue (a person who never showed bashfulness) speaking to them in a blush. Never in all his years of being her childhood friend, had he seen this side of her. And all of it was because of the Dame-duo!

Devastated, he fumed… forgetting about everything strange about the baby and marched out with a single mind… _'I _**will**_ master all the desserts, even if it's the last thing I do! There's no way I am goin' ta' be upstarted by the Dame-Duo!'_

"It has been decided then!" Suzue shouted, her face no longer holding the tinge of red from before. "Since no one is objecting! These two would do all the pastries!"

The classmates cheered as they were one step ahead from winning for sure.

The two couldn't decide to be embarrassed, happy for being helpful for once, or fearful of the increase of females and (un)surprisingly some males eyeing them like candy.

The young Vongola group grinned in their accomplishments in getting the two some deserved attention (though it wasn't needed).

And Hibari Kyoya (the dreaded prefect) decided to enter and without any warning started biting everyone to death for crowding until they scurried back to their classrooms.

All through it all, certain baby (yes, Reborn) just smirked... sipping his third cup of espresso with one thought:

'_The plan is wonderfully coming together. Now…'_ he clicked the send button on his Leon-laptop, sending his recent recordings to the rest of Vongola and the Simon Famiglia.

~*~*~{+}~*~*~

A.N.: Ciaossu~ wonder if everyone is excited for the New Year… I know I am, though not entirely. It just means another year is done and I am getting closer to getting _older_; oh how depressing…

On another note, I want to thank you guys for taking the time to read this story.

And my other stories… yeah have to work on them….

/ Two days later/

Two days after the competition between Nobuyori and the dame-duo, Suzue was becoming worried as to not seeing hide or hair of him since then. Usually she would find him moping about in the bookstore or library during the weekends to look at cook books, but he wasn't there. She even went to the restaurant just to ask if his family had seen him. Unfortunately, they too didn't know where he had gone off to. Suzue's worry increased as she reduced the number of people to question; until she talked too little Ruriko, Nobuyori's 12-year-old sister, who was peeling vegetables in the back.

"I saw Yori-nii leave with a strange baby wearin' a suit and a green lizard on his hat."

"A-a baby?" she repeated questionably unsure if she should take this info seriously or not. _'Ruriko has a very big imagination. She could have imagined it.'_

"I didn' imagine it, Suzu-nee," the familiar stormy gray eyes narrowed behind her brownish curls. Suzue chuckled nervously in realizing she had spoken her thoughts aloud. Taking a step back to give the little girl some more room, not that it worked very well considering the limited space, she returned to her questioning.

"So he left with the… umm… baby," Suzue's voiced unsurely, fidgeting; unnerved at the still piercing gaze from the little girl intensified (which was a bit embarrassing). She really couldn't help it. The little girl resembled like the owner, Mrs. Soseki, Baka-Yori and Ruriko's mother, when she was ready to lash out disapprovals. Also, Ruriko clearly said that _he_ _went_ _with _the baby. It was a total reverse of the saying _'don't let the kids go off with strangers'_. What on earth was Nobuyori doing going off _with_ a _baby_ for two days anyways?

"Do you know where they went?"

Ruriko stared at her a little longer before going back to pealing a potato (much to Suzue's relief). "I don', really. It was close ta' my bed time and I was getting' somethin' ta drink when I heard him talkin' with someone. I was curious so I went ta' go see only ta' see him walk out with the baby, a backpack over his shoulders."

"Anything else?" she pushed.

"Somethin' about trainin' with a tuna or whatever… and for all that's worth, I _do not_ want ta' know. Now, can ya' help me with these potatoes?"

"A tuna? Now that doesn't make sense. What does a tuna have anything to do with his goal towards being a patissier? Tuna? Tsu— OH!" Suzue exclaimed and without further warning she rushed out the back door leaving Ruriko to blink in her wake. Rushing towards the school, passing the gate towards the opposite direction where she had remembered a certain brunette always headed towards after school.

"What was that about Ruru-chan?" her mother asked after watching the retreating figure of Suzue.

"She's worried that her _future_-_husband_ is bein' _unfaithful_ behind her back," she mumbled out with as she peeled the potatoes once again, a bit roughly. If potatoes could scream, they would screech painfully as she cut the skin away from the offending vegetables that. Will. Not. _Stop. __**Multiplying**_.

_**~Continue to the Next Morning~**_

"Dammit!" Nobuyori swore, finding his 126th batch as black crisps again. Irritation flaring he dumped his inedible cookies into the rapidly filling garbage can. He didn't understand. What was he doing wrong? All the ingredients were being put in exactly as the instructions written for him. Double checking, triple checking... attempts after attempts are still resulting in him burning them into nothing but charcoal lumps. _'Should I give up?'_

Memories pulled to the surface of a point of time at the beginning of middle school: Her smiling dancing across the stage... a lighting falling... She returning from surgery, eyes dulling with every word from the doctor... _"I will never be able to do ballet again…__"_

Shaking his head he slapped his face. _'No, I'm not giving up!_

Turning around back to his attempt at baking, his eyes caught the sight of Tsunayoshi looking worryingly at him from across the underground kitchen morph into a smile before Namimori's number one female idol brought him back to catering (slaving) to the usual batch of girls together in his group. Enma did the same giving him a smile and returned to what he was doing.

Irritation once again rose in him seeing the desserts and espressos being dashed out beautifully to each of the idol maidens of Namimori (no, why would he count the male idols within the vicinity); while as his growing failures were being ignored. He was close to start battering something against the multiple (expensive) kitchen appliances. A multitude of colorful words spilling from his mouth when a dreaded sing-song voice froze all the rage into ice pits in his stomach.

"What's wrong Nobu-_kun~_?"

Perspiration increasing he swallowed the second lump he had that day for the newly acquired fear of the brunette hostess smiled all so sweetly with an equally fearful small figure sitting casually on her shoulder wiping a gleaming metal meticulously.

"N-nothing Sawada-s-sensei, R-Reborn-san…"

"Then start again from the top. I want to see progress. _Okay~_?" the smile grew a bit more making it seem more sinister.

"And it wouldn't do, if a _subordinate_ couldn't meet up to their bosses standards," the infant added bringing the gun's barrel at his face.

"H-hai, I will work harder!" He jumped immediately to wash his equipment to start again hearing her stepping away with infant in tow. He took a deep breath and released in a huge sigh of relief.

'_How did I get into this mess?__' _he asked himself.


	4. Bullet 4 - Lesson One

Understandably I am late on the updates…

Really sorry…. It was the school, work, babysitting… Okay, they are excuses, but they take up time. Anyway, I am leaving a few notes before we begin.

The names are by following styles: last/first... why? Because of our favorite Italian characters are in this story. And, considering that everyone is in Japan, talking in the traditional way of the Japanese speech is what they will do. Also, it's to not to confuse everyone. So for example, Fuuta will be: De La Stella Fuuta.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of KHR but this story's plot-line.

**Bullet 4: Lesson One**

**~Flashback: After School of the Baking competition - Day 1 of Training~**

Nobuyori climbed up the stairs to his room, dejectedly. All the positivity from his declaration of _'Don't give up'_, fizzed out the moment he reached his home. It was pitiful in how he was defeated. He worked in his family restaurant, specializing in making ever dish by scratch. Yet, even after years of trying, he still couldn't bake a simple sugar cookie?

Heaving a big sigh, he threw his bag across his room onto his bed, and tried to change out of his uniform. Without any warning, something tiny collided to the back of his head resulting in him kissing his wooden floors with a loud, "Oomph."

"Quite a collection of recipes here," a squeaky voice commented from above.

Scrambling upright the self-proclaimed Patissier stared wide-eyes at the strange baby he had met earlier looking through his recipe books.

"What the hell are ya' doin' ya' crazy kid?!" he dashed forwards reaching out to retrieve them only to be kicked back by the tiny feet like it had done before, only in the face, and this time sending him backwards onto his rump.

"Ciaossu, Baka-Yori, I have a proposition for you."

The boy glared at the kid clutching his now bleeding nose. "Why would I take an offer from a strange kid who kicked me twice?" he ducked immediately when the little foot came at him again, "That's an attempt assault!"

"Show respect, and don't call me kid, I'm not the one who is giving you the offer," the fedora baby said, once again standing atop of his desk onyx eyes glinting dangerously. "Sawada Nana caught wind of your goals and she asked me to retrieve you for training. You will be staying in the Sawada house for the duration of your training."

Nobuyori blinked; then blinked again as his mind restarted from his mind implosion. _'Did I, hear him correctly. __**Sawada**_ _**Nana**__ wanted ta' __train me.__'_ This was not a joking matter if that was true. Rumors or not, he understood that anyone who survived Totsuki Academy were the best of the best. He was not letting this opportunity slide went it would give him a higher chance in becoming a patissier as well as Suzue's acknowledgement of being able to obtain his dream wasn't impossible.

'_If I do this right, I might even get her to walk towards her true dream.'_

Reborn smirked at the resolution gleaming brightly in the teens eyes. "Since you have decided, better get packing. She is expecting us soon and we need to walk over there."

…..

"Pathetic," Reborn commented looking down from a neighbor's wall a few blocks from their destination, at the edge of the forest they exited from. The Onyx haired boy huffed tiredly trying to steady himself on his knees. "How did you become one of the top 10 percentiles of your school in PE if you can't even manage a simple walk?"

"I… think… anyone would… be tired…. After three hour… bein' lead around… like a lost monkey," Nobuyori answered annoyingly, huffing in-between words to catch his breath.

"… And a…._run_ through the mountains… easy…? While being chased…? Ya' got ta' be…. jokin'. PE only requires us ta'….run a mile lap around the track…. How did ya' even manage… to get my school records anyway?"

Seven times the kid led him through dead ends, requiring him to be imaginative in how to get over the obstacle or be left behind, which happened more times than he cared to count, before catching up (it was only due to luck of catching glimpses of a small child with a black fedora turning around a corner resulting in him to make a mad dash). Two times, he was held up for helping the elderly (one rendering him into the role of a loaded riding mule and making him back track from where he had come from). And then, the last hour spent in Namimori Forest. How the hell no one knew there were _bears_ inhabiting the area was a wonder as he had stumbled upon their feeding grounds. And thanks to the ki- Reborn… running past them they caught sight of Nobuyori and started chasing him.

"Dame-Tsuna managed," Reborn replied with a smirk.

Unfortunately, once Nobuyori got his breathing pattern together he was laughing until he was breathless again. "Dame-Tsuna can' even walk without trippin' or even have the strength to even do half of what I just did! If I ever see Dame-Tsuna show any athletic skill is the time I'll be his underlin' for the rest of my life!"

"Oh… you will, would you…" Reborn's ominous smirk went unnoticed.

"Of course! Hahaha~" _'There's no way Dame-Tsuna could do it anyway!' _Poor Nobuyori didn't even realize what he had said sealed his fate as he continued laughing.

'_Looks like you're going to have a new subordinate, my dear dame-student. I'm looking forward to this.'_

Without further comments, Reborn started walking again, not even bothering to look behind him to see if the teen, startled out of his fits, and stumbling after him to catch up.

_**~Inside: the Sawada Household~**_

Tsuna was setting up a futon when a chill went down his spine and dread quickly pooling at the bottom of his stomach. That… was a sign of 'trouble' coming for him in the form of a certain ex-Sun Arcobaleno… And that meant whatever is that sadistic tutor was planning was going to ruin his normalcy, again… Dammit! The said hitman was out, retrieving his mother's temp-two-day-home student. That alone made him uneasy. For him to volun-

Eyes going wide he turned to the clock and groaned.

"What's wrong, Tsuna?" Enma poked his head out of the kitchen, setting out the basic equipment for cookies since Nana was out getting ingredients.

"Reborn. Out. Getting student..." Enma raised a brow in confusion, not understanding what he was getting at. "He left at 6 this morning. And that was **three** hours ago, and whoever this student is, lives supposedly 30 minutes away from us."

"...Oh."

"I hope he/she will make it out alive. Reborn's route is always life threatening. Why Reborn won't tell me who it is, is suspicious."

"If he/she does make it here, do you think they will make it through Mama's introduction?"

"..." the silence is all Enma needed.

"I'll call Dino-nii to hire a therapist…" already pulling out his phone, pausing, "...And a lawyer," he added the end as an afterthought.

Tsuna nodded absentmindedly dreading what Reborn's influence of attaining a student for his mother, despite knowing the mental trauma his mother can inflict already. _'Really, It makes me wonder if he's a demon that lives off of the misery of other people. At least with Kaa-san, it isn't until she is teaching how to cook.'_

Enma is lucky he was left mostly alone. He and his family lives on a secluded island which requires him to know how to cook otherwise starve. Also, he doesn't need to go shooting his mouth off (ever). That didn't stop her from dragging the two teenagers (and their unfortunate friends that were visiting during the time), to teach some of her recipes. She will not have someone, who will have a family in the future, not know how to whip a full course meal from any region and keep them healthy. Gender be-damned. (_"__Plus, it'__s romantic!__" she chirped.)_

The good thing is, their friends could at least handled Nana's... _teachings_…

It was those students that came to her _because_ she had graduated from 'Hell's Kitchen Academy' with no training. Simpletons, the lot of them…

They thought that they didn't have to see the scenes of hell from such a place that became victims. Bet they regretted it now (those reasons is a story for later). Though he was sorry for those that held promise now could never approaching a kitchen knife again or otherwise remember whatever event they had experienced. Naturally, it resulted in a related party approached her in anger to almost suing. He didn't know what had happened after that caused them to drop the charges, but he had a feeling that his father was involved.

Nevertheless, that event was the reason why he had tried to deter future potential victims by spreading those rumors on a site he found.

It helped, stopping most… just not all, apparently.

But that's another issue he will get around to another time; there are more pressing issues at hand. The victims of the past just had to deal with his mother. Now they have both her and _Reborn_. And with this sudden-student invited (Tsuna believes it was Reborn's idea) to live with them for the duration of the two-day crash course; picturing the result was not pretty at all.

'_I hope he/she knows how to dodge knifes.'_

With that prayer, he went to the kitchen to help out Enma when the doorbell chimed throughout the house, alerting all of the newcomer's arrival.

"Hai! I'm coming!" Nana called out as she came down the stairs (she must have got back while he was deep in thought because a good amount of grocery bags were laying next to the doorway), cheerily going to open the door for their new and old tenants.

"G-Good mornin', Sawada-sensei! Thank you for takin' me as yer' student!" an enthusiastic voice sounded from the kitchen doorway. Tsuna frowned finding the voice strikingly familiar from somewhere.

"Maa~ how polite," Nana praised in delight. "But there is no need to be so formal with me; I am just a simple housewife who likes to teach aspiring young chefs. Come in and get yourself situated, we are still in the process of getting ready."

"H-hai, sorry for the intrusion…"

"Where's Tsuna and Enma, Mama?" Reborn's voice instinctively made the said students flinch.

"They are in the kitchen Reborn-chan."

"Oh," was the only warning they had before the doorway to the hallway opened causing both to react instantly to the sharp projectiles. Obviously, they dodged, only they didn't expect a familiar student gaping at them once the last of the projectiles were caught in their grips.

"S-Soseki-kun, s-so you're the student," Enma managed to say before quickly trying to hide the silverware in hand, failing miserably as they tumbled to the ground as said boy gapped in disbelief.

"Wh-how…"

"Reborn!" Tsuna called glaring at his tutor to explain himself.

"Sooner to show is better than later, my dame-students. Rule #34: As a sign of trust for a subordinate, a boss always shows their skills… to a certain degree. Nobu has agreed to be your underling," he simply smirked at them causing both Tsuna and Nobuyori to sputter denials.

"I don't need an underling! "

"What are you talkin' about!? I never-!"

_""If I ever see Dame-Tsuna show any athletic skill is the time I'll be his underlin' for the rest of my life!""_

Nobuyori gapped (Tsuna and Enma didn't know if it was from shock of seeing a green chameleon turn into a recorder, playing his declaration; or from before when both Decimo bosses caught those projecting utensils…Probably both…) at the statement he had made on a whim. He was about to retort but what Reborn said silenced him, face becoming pale and mouth dry.

"Your statement becomes an oath when it involves us in the mafia. Especially when Tsuna is the next future boss. Whim or not, this is recorded on tape; meaning it's hard evidence that you have declared your servitude to him. I even made sure to ask if you would and you agreed afterwards." Playing the rest of the recording to further solidify the verbal contract.

"WHA-!"

"Reborn(-san)-!" the bosses started. They quickly snapped their mouths shut on whatever they wanted to argue about when the hitman looked at them in a hard gleam.

"He is going to live _here_ for _**two**_ _days_," putting a hard emphasized on _two,_ as hiseyes focusing on his main Dame-student_. "_That is a _lot_ of time for sensitive information to leak. Though mama invited him to become her student, he _will_ need to be under oath and under your subordination to be protected. I will also overlook his training. It's sooner than planned for him, but your other classmates _will _be involved, one way or another, with our Famigliain the coming future."

"But-!"

"_**Tsunayoshi**_," the voice wasn't a shout, however it had an effect of one to make the teen flinch slightly. Reborn saw it, and he thought probably he overdid it a bit, but he continued just so his student(s), and extra, will understand the seriousness of their situation.

"I have _known_ you for almost _3_ _years_. I'm a _hitman_. I _know_ how to read people very easily. _Do not _think I don't know how you think. I know you do not want them to get involved into the Mafia; but this is for _your well-being_.

"You haven't seen it but there _are_ and _have_ been assassination attempts on you since the failed inheritance ceremony. Fortunately, they didn't know your face as there were precautions when we did the ceremony. Placing numerous amounts of rumors about your and your Guardian's identities; it is just unfortunate that we could not prevent your location being in Japan and what had happened with the Simon Famiglia.

"Enma, your attack on the Vongola has brought up a lot of unwanted attention. Even if the Simon made up with the Vongola, it does not change the fact it happened. It is why I ask you two to continue acting as Dame; to obscure more of your identities. No one would think that the bosses of Vongola and Simon, would act as such. Attacking just random students would earn them a place right into one of Vindici's cells.

"Most boss's do not need to go to such lengths to hide such information. But due to the Vongola Famiglia being the epicenter of all mafia, and the Simon being its brother, rivaling Famiglias will latch on to the smallest info just to assassinate _you both_. They want to be _THE_ Don of _ALL_ Don's and they will do _**anything**_to be so."

Everyone present in the room (Nana went upstairs to check on Lambo, who was bathing after being covered from head to foot with flour while messing around) paled in comprehension with every passing sentence.

Nobu managed to not to faint, though he was getting slightly dizzy, from finding out that Tsuna is not just a member, but THE BOSS of what he concluded, a powerful Famiglia_._ Dame-Tsuna, a boss… He tensed when the bab- no -HITMAN turned to him.

"Make an oath, swear, promise, whatever, to never to reveal anything you have heard, will hear and see from thus forth to Tsuna. When you do, you are to hold that oath. If not..." the lingering underline statement of_ 'I will make you disappear' _did not need to be said aloud as the shape-shifting chameleon turned to a gun.

Gulping Nobu turned to the two bosses, particularly Tsuna; "I swear I will be silent and never say anythin' abou' what I will see or hear(ed), from now on. As promised, I will be yur'… subordinate." The last word weighted heavily on his tongue. Mentally he was weeping in finding his situation dire.

Tsuna's lips pursed to a thin line, a furrow deep set in hesitance to agree shown on his face, trying to find another way. But the finality way Reborn had said his explanation really nailed one path. All he could do was nod in agreement. Enma showed the same expression, lingering on guilt on being a direct cause for his friend's predicament.

The atmospheres heavy tension dissipated once Nana's voice vertebrates down the hall. "Tsu-kun, can you get Nobu-kun situated in the guest room! I will call when I get everything else ready!"

Tsuna sighed, shuffling everything to the back for later and replied back to affirm. Touching Enma on the shoulder to stop his friend from drowning in guilt, telling him to finish prepping as he motioned for Nobu to follow.

While giving the new vic-(ahem) I mean student, to his room for the two days, he also gave a small tour to the two story home. About five minutes in, Nobuyori's dizziness increased, his body growing heavy with every step he made. It got worse as he went up the stairs, almost stumbling on a step and catching the railing on the next.

"Um… Soseki-kun? Are you all right?" Tsuna asked looking at the student looking pale, swaying a bit from the top of the steps.

"I feel like vomitin', actually."

Tsuna's brows rose at the admittance.

"You are probably reacting to the fumes," Reborn appeared out of nowhere, causing them to jump in surprise.

"Fumes? What fumes?" Tsuna asked urgently earning a confused/pained look from Nobu.

"Bianchi's cooking…"

"What does this have to do with…Bianchi's….coo… AHH!"

'_Bianchi? As in Bianchi-sensei?'_

It took a bit longer than Reborn liked for his student to understand (_'Going to triple his deduction training.') _When it finally dawned on him to rush to the nearest windows and push them open allowing the toxic fumes from the Poison Scorpion's cooking to be released.

Unfortunate birds that were flying overhead, dropped unconscious or dead. Poor birdies didn't have a chance.

'_Crap, the whole house was filled up! The fumes must have accumulated to the second floor when she was cooking! We _(namely Tsuna, Lambo, I-Pin, Fuuta, Nana, Reborn and Bianchi)_ must have grown immunity to it,' _he rushed to Nobuyori sagging to the floor, breathing in the fresh air now circulating.

"Sorry, I really didn't realize that. Are you okay?" inwardly relief filled him when color returned to the other teen's face. Nobuyori didn't answer, only rose to grab his shoulders pulling him close, eyes burning.

"Bianchi-sensei…ya' allow her ta' cook fer' ya'!"

"Eh? That's the first thing you ask?"

"Tsuna what happened? I heard you…shout." Enma paused coming up the steps to sweat-drop at the scene.

Tsuna couldn't answer as Nobuyori shook his shoulders, his head going through the motion like a rattle as Nobuyori cried, "OF COURSE IT IS?! WHY IS IT THAT BIANCHI-SENSEI ALLOWS YA' TA' EAT HER COOKIN'!? EVERYONE'S BEEN DYIN' TO TRY IT!"

"Ah, tha-that's an accurate-"

"'Accurate-' what, Enma-kun?" a seductive voice whispered into the red-head's ear making him jump turn to stare at the person-in-question smirking at him.

"Bianchi(-san/-sensei)!" both Enma and Nobu said together, the latter dropping Tsuna to the ground having swirls in his eyes. Reborn jumping down next to his students head with a shake of his head in disappointment.

"I am increasing your training, Dame-Tsuna."

"WHAT!? NO~!" Tsuna sat up instantly crying in despair.

"Ah~ Reborn~!" Bianchi swooned going past the Simon Boss and her student to scoop up the Sun Arcobaleno into her arms. "I'm back shopping for my _(poison)_ ingredients~. Did you miss me~?"

"Ciaossu, Bianchi. Welcome back. Nobuyori is staying with us as a live-in student for two days for Nana's cooking lessons. He is also now Tsuna's subordinate so training is needed." He grinned sadistically, making Tsuna and Enma shiver.

Bianchi blinked, looked at the student (Nobu), and broke down laughing.

"What? What's so funny?" Nobuyori asked clearly perplexed by his teacher's response.

"I-it's just…hahaha…Are you mentally prepared?" she questioned wiping a tear away.

"Fer' what exactly?" he asked cautiously.

"Tsu-kun, Enma-kun, Nobu-kun, let's go now!" Nana called from the kitchen interrupting their flow of conversation.

"You will find out soon~," Bianchi practically sang.

Reborn, released from her arms, jumped onto Tsuna's head nest of a hair, he gave him a small kick. "Leave the luggage in the guest room, we wasted too much time at the top of the stairs."

"Oww, okay Reborn, no need to kick," with that Tsuna, once again motioning for Nobu to follow, shuffled back to where he opened the window. "This is where you rooming. Let's get downstairs."

Unlike last time, Nobu entered the kitchen finding it occupied not just the Sawada matriarch, but with three more kids he had never seen before… Well, maybe except for the 7 year old boy with a slight perm-hair and cow dress shirt with pants…

"Mama, Mama, make a chocolate cake, please! Please! Please~!"

"Lambo, no cake! Mama doing lesson!" another 7 year old child in red Chinese outfit explained. Nobu thought the child was a boy with the egg-shape head; but with the twin braided tails, he reconsidered the child as a girl.

"Yeah, Lambo. Mama has a new student. Since she is the teacher, she needs to decide on what should be made today." The last child was probably 4 years older than the first two. His hair a sandy blond, dressed casually and holding a very large brown book that looked like it weighed a bit more than the child himself.

"But, but, but…"

"Maa~maa~, I-Pin, Fuuta. There's no need to worry. I'm sure Tsu-kun will make something like that for a snack later, Lambo, nee~ Tsu-kun?" she turned towards them with the brightest smile followed by the three kids looking at the brunette in expectancy.

Tsuna sweat-dropped. He expected that kind of reaction after they found out how good his cooking really tasted, (_"Second best cook: rivaling that of Mama,"_ as Fuuta had ranked it).Nodding, the kids all jumped to joy in getting fed by Tsuna's homemade dishes.

_**~Brief **__**Side-Story Explanation~**_

_[When he was seven, he wanted to try out cooking to impress his mother. Obviously, she allowed him to take lessons with the other students that had come to her for those same reasons. Even though he wasn't allowed to cut the items (until he was Nine), he did get to cook them…with supervision of course._

_Those students, being the self-important people they were, couldn't stand that he, a child, could be better than them…and he was a beginner. By the next dish, Tsuna ended up failing and he couldn't understand why. He was downcast. Nana, however, noticed the sabotage done to her son's cooking. That day, Tsuna realized how scary his mother can be._

_On the next wave of students, another sabotage done to his cooking or a string of curses at her failing them or even not trying to improve by learning from their mistakes, she traumatized them to the very fiber of their being. It was unfortunate for one of the students, being innocent throughout the training; she could have been a good high rank chef if it wasn't for the others that were with her. That was the start of when Tsuna decided to spread rumors in order to keep other away innocent victims.]_

_**~End Side-Story Explanation~**_

"Ah, Nobu-kun, let me introduce you to these kids: Lambo, I-Pin, and Fuuta. Ah welcome back Bianchi-chan. Now, that everyone's here, lets get going all right," Nana stated pulling up bags. "Tsu-kun, Enma-kun, mind getting the rest of the bags."

"Hai."

Nobuyori blinked in confusion. "Wait, we aren't doing the lesson here?"

"Of course not silly," Nana laughed with a bright smile as she shepherd the kids out the door. "My kitchen has gotten too small for a large group. Since I'm doing a lesson like what you do at school, everyone has to have a place for themselves to work on. I did have a private studio once, but I sold it after not getting as many students, and it was years ago. So we are going to a place which will provide for the rest of our needs."

"Oh," he blushed in realizing that to be true and followed everyone from behind into a black car waiting in front, with Oregano as the driver (not that Nobuyori knew that).

Ten minutes later, they arrived in front of a familiar store/housing of TakeSushi.

"Yo, Tsuna, Sawada-san, Kid, Enma, Bianch, kiddosi! Oh and Nobu, I didn't expect you!" one every smiling, laughing baseball star greeted them the moment they came out of the car. "Good timing, Oyaji just finished his sushi lessons with his employees. The kitchen studio is free for use."

"Thank you, Takeshi-kun," Nana smiled like always.

"No problem at all," Takeshi brought them to the back. Tsuyoshi looked up from his cleaning the last of his knives.

But before the sushi chef could do any greetings in, a familiar silverette beat him to it.

"Good evening Jyuudaime's! Sawada-san! Reborn-san!" Hayato greeted before he turned to his sister, her face completely visible. "A-aniki… gehh, sorry I can't…" he tried, truly, but the moment he could see her whole face, his stomach churned.

Bianchi sighed, her heartstrings pulled in guilt, and placed the goggles on. "It's okay Hayato. You are making progress at least. You didn't pass out this time." The silverette didn't reply but his eyes did show a bit of sadness.

"Tsuyoshi-san, thank you for allowing us make use of this place," Nana bowed but the male chef laughed heartedly.

"Its fine, Nana-san! I only use this place for teaching my employees new dishes or so. This place is open for your uses any time! Ah, better get to the shop. The evening-time rush is going to start. Takeshi, I'm going to need your help!"

"Osu! I'll see you guys later!" Takeshi gave his friends a wave and went off.

"Cake! Tsuna-nii, Lam-I want's cake!" a certain cow child ran into the room towing the said brunette connected to the bags he was grabbing.

"Whoa! Hold on a minute, Lambo, you're going to break the eggs."

"Aho-ushi! Don't drag Jyuudaime like that!" Hayato exclaimed trying to grab the young Lightning Guardian.

"Lambo, no fair!" I-Pin cried out following after them.

"Let's get everything set up, Enma-nii," Fuuta suggested, taking hold of one of the many bags the red-head was holding.

"Okay."

"Saa~, Nobu-kun; pick where you will be working at. Once the others come, we will get started with lessons. Bianchi-chan, please help me out."

"Hai, Mama…" Bianchi followed.

"H-hai…" he replied and with that, he picked the nearest one and practically fell into the chair provided.

Shock must have started to catch up to him. He just couldn't believe it:

Finding out that the Dame-duo holding only fronts. That they are being targeted by assassins and hitmen. Also finding out that they both are _bosses _to the Top Mafia, and Tsuna being the HEAD of ALL of them. The forced submission to being a subordinate under oath, or an Omerta if he remembered from watching some of his favorite Mafia movies. The Sawada residence housing a hitman, their Home Ec's teacher and three kids with no familial resemblance.

All this was like out of a book of some novel. The truth of the lives of the two the whole school looked down on made him feel conscious of all the jeers, bullying and put downs in the past… It made him sick to realize they didn't know anything about the two besides the fact they couldn't really do anything; when in fact they could but just couldn't because the lives of the whole school populace, and probably the whole Namimori town, would be killed if they even gain popularity.

"We're here! Sorry we are late! Haru-chan had to find her camera!"

Nobuyori shot up in his seat in surprise upon Kyoko, Hana, Haru and Chrome's entrance, gaining attention from the girls.

"What for?" Enma questioned.

"Those monkeys want photo shots of the desserts and drinks to display for our cafe," Hana said flippantly, brushing annoyingly at the stray strands of her long hair (she definitely wants to cut it short now). "_Apparently,_ someone had let slip that we were attending lessons with Sawada-san and the boys." Tsuna rubbed the bridge of his nose knowing a certain faux-infant was the cause.

"We also picked up Chrome-chan, Dessu~!" Haru pulled the shy girl out from behind the group. The purple haired girl, out of the green uniform she usually wore, and into a casual dress shirt with shorts and her usual boots; a theme that seemed to have been coordinated with the other girls. She blushed at the attention and quickly hid behind Haru again.

"Ah, Soseki-kun! Are you taking cooking lessons to?" Kyoko smiled

"U-uh-huh…" _'Oh wow, Bakayori, what a good impression. Why not add something more embarrassing like some dame-acting brunette?'_

"Oh great, there's another idiot monkey here," Hana commented, scowl on her face ever present.

"Hana-chan, that's mean," Kyoko reprimanded however the said monkey that Hana pointed out, became dejected in hearing the half-hearted tone.

"Hai~ hai~! Let's get started now!" Nana stated excitedly.

The lessons started easily enough (Lambo, I-pin and Fuuta trying out the dishes as judges): making simple fried eggs…Nobu forgetting to add oil and ended up with the egg being stuck to the pan and burned to a crisp; seasoned grilled fish over rice… also ending up as charcoal with the rice being too watery; Hamburger stake…yeah you get the picture… his failures were just building up by the minutes.

It was by another failure that he snapped.

"ARGH! What am I f****** doing wrong?! This b******* is-" words died in his mouth when he realized a knife, still vibrating at the throw, embedded itself into his worktable and another, grazed his cheek, to the wall. Shaking like a leaf, he looked up. Bianchi-sensei and the girls covering the ears of the children the moment he had spoken out. Tsuna, Enma and Hayato swallowed audibly. The infant, Reborn had a slight smirk but he too was tense.

Nobuyori pale and sweating like bullets, could feel his death coming.

"Now Nobu-_kun_~, that is no way to speak in front of _children~_. Please be careful from now on, _okay~. Also~,_ don't give _up~,_" Nana, with the sweet closed-eye smile with a head tilt to the side for effect, spoke in her usual way, but to Nobuyori, he could hear how threatening in those words were. Also, the other knife in her hand was not helping any.

…

"Soseki-san?"

Blinking, Nobu didn't realize she had left, replaced with a worried looking Tsuna. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah…just didn' expect S-Sawada-san to th-throw the kn-kn…" he couldn't get the word out. Tsuna mentally grimaced, knowing that the impact of his mother when in cooking-sensei mode. Bad-mouthing when in front of her out of that mode would mean a scolding. But when cooking…traumatizing results (don't believe it? Hayato said he can't even remember what had happened when he came too from one of them).

"By the way…is there somethin' ya' want?" he asked recovering a bit from the second shock that day.

"Kaa-san has ended the lessons for today. I just want to ask if you wish to watch me and Enma work. You might learn something new and find the problem in why you keep crisping everything."

Nobuyori frowned but didn't decline. Tsuna smiled, disarmingly new for the other teen, and walked back to his area with him following. It really was strange. For the last few hours he had been working, it was perplexing on how the teen hadn't tri-

"Hiiee!"

'_Never mind, spoke too soon…' _Nobu winced watched the brunette fall face-first to the floor. He's still helplessly clumsy despite the fact he heard he was actually acting as a "failure at everything". More so when he tripped over _nothing_.It was just amazing in the intervals in-between the clumsiness differed outside school than in it.

Watching Tsuna, Enma and Hayato (got dragged into it) work…didn't help him with his ego… learning, yes; Ego, no. The girls (excluding Hana), were supposed to be taking photos of the desserts, kept taking pictures during the baking process.

Many successful shots later, Takeshi entered with his Father, Nana and Bianchi. Not a minute passed since their entrance, four more arrived. He recognized the Boxing star and Kyoko's brother, Sasagawa Ryohei, but the other three were obviously from Kokuyo high. A feral blond with a notable scar that went across his face sitting a few centimeters under both eyes. The other was a bland looking guy, black hair under a white beanie and a small barcode tattooed onto his left cheek with a bandaid on the other.

The third guy however…just gave him the creeps with his heterochromic eyes, one blue the other red (and he was sure he was seeing the character for 6 deep in that eye's iris), looking at him with a playful smile. For some reason, it seemed the guy was looking at him as a plaything and not as a person.

Chrome immediately went up to the guy the moment he stepped in, giving him peck on the cheek, which he returned with even a laugh that brought shivers down his spine.

'_He mist be Chrome's brother, if the hairstyle is any indication.'_

Out of the corner of his eyes, Nobu noticed that Tsuna was eyeing the man just as wearily. The brunette took glances to the entrance and back to the blue-haired teen, his hands fingering the rings on his hands. What it was that made the teen tense, Nobu didn't want to find out since Reborn was also watching Tsuna with amusement.

Soon enough, dinner started with the dishes they had made earlier placed on the table. To Nobu's experience, he had never thought there was anyone as rowdy as his family when it comes to dinners. Hayato was having an argument with Kyoko's brother and the cow obsessed child, with Takeshi trying to mediate everything only to get the same treatment. Ken and Chikusa, Nobu believed their name was when he was introduced, were complete opposites of each other; Ken eating as much as he could while Chikusa eating slowly. Tsuyoshi, Nana, Bianchi and Reborn was having their own conversation.

Tsuna excused himself with a platter of food (with desserts of course) and went outside. Curious, Nobu followed to peek out of the entrance. He regretted that decision when he saw the Namimori Prefect took the plate from Tsuna.

Wonderment ran through his mind. What was Tsuna's balls were made of to get the Demon Prefect to take something willingly? He jerked back to his seat as the said teen walked back inside, returning to talking with the girls and his two friends.

"Umm, has anyone seen where Mukuro-nii went to?" Lambo queried looking back and forth from their table once the desserts were passed out. Eyes wide, Tsuna rushed outside again, this time Enma, Hayato, Takeshi and Ryohei following.

An explosion outside along with sounds of metal clashing metal and shouts quickly alerted everyone. The children and the other adults didn't move from their seat, continuing to eat nonchalantly like it was everyday noise. Nobu finding it alarming immediately went outside. He regretted it immediately when he was met with a familiar metal object flying towards him.

'_I should have stayed home,' _was his last thoughts before pain and falling into darkness

….


	5. Omake: Mochida's Hardships

This is going to take place from the beginning of the series, to the future. It seems like I am ranting in the storyline, but I believe it will sound true…if I get it right.

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of KHR characters. The plot-line of this story is my own imagination running with scenarios of minor character, Mochida Kensuke**_

**Mochida's Hardships**

Mochida Kensuke admits... even though he is a captain of the Kendo Club; Even though, he has the leadership qualities to lead his team to the championships; Even though, he was part of the Student Committee and one of the male idols of Namimori Middle to High School... he didn't have a good life. He did not have a _perfect life._

_HE _had faults.

Outward appearances are deceiving. More so when it is a student who appears to have the looks, smarts, the popularity and easygoing smile.

Take Yamamoto Takeshi for example: he has the looks, the popularity and easygoing smile as well, but he tried to commit suicide when he broke his arm. That was a memorable moment for everyone when their baseball star exclaimed that not one of them understood how he felt. How he had felt like he was only being _used_. Not seen as a person but just an _object_ that could win the Season Cup for their school. The people around him were _never_ his _true friends_. They were just _people_ who wanted to be by his side _because_ of his talents at baseball. But the moment he broke his arm, they turned on him like _deceiving poisonous cobras_; spouting how they can't win anymore because of _him_.

When everyone lost hope in trying to coax the baseball star back from the ledge, it was the most unexpected person to stop him from taking that last step:

It was _Dame-_Tsuna…

The person that failed at every subject test, even PE; stopped the teen from going to his death with words that spoke volume in not just how much insight he had of failures, but also the resolve of standing back up…what to _live_ for.

Out of all the people in the school populace standing like deers frozen, staring at the headlights of an oncoming car; _Dame-Tsuna_, did something that no one expected him to do. He wasn't great and he failed and he was clumsy, _he _admitted that. But he did one thing that no one tried to do that day. Go up to someone suicidal, and talk them out of it.

Every one of the students' standing, there on the rooftop…_ behind_ _Dame-Tsuna…_ had just stood there, not going any closer because _they_ didn't want to take _responsibility_ if they failed. And that was what they were afraid of.

Kensuke, being present, was one of the people who watched Tsuna stop the teen from committing suicide. Watching Tsuna dive after the teen when the fence broke from his weight when trying to get back on the other side. Grabbing hold of the hand the moment he started falling even when he couldn't handle the weight but still managed to do so with resolve until Gokudera Hayato, the delinquent-genius outcast transfer student, who somehow became a worshiper of every step _Sawada Tsunayoshi takes_. Watched them becoming the _truest_ _friend_ that Takeshi has in his life.

It left him in awe-inspired.

However, the bitterness of his defeat during his match with the said teen and his own pride made him continue his belittling and bullying of Tsuna. Even though he didn't want to mentally.

Every word and shoves he made on the brunette left a sour-bile taste in his mouth. It made him wonder where he was getting it from.

It wasn't until the days he was hospitalized, thanks to the Kokuyo students attacking the Namimori students, that he had finally realized _why_ he acted as such.

He was taking example of his father… the man who didn't care for his family. The man who didn't love him and his siblings but the job of being the head of some corporation. The man who took his mother's life for granted for providing heirs and only using words of belittlement until she broke.

His two younger siblings, who once stood right beside him with happy faces when their mother was alive, stood further away and in the dark; Shying away from both him and their father, faces no longer brightening at their arrivals.

A few days; in such short time, it is all it took for him to see the truth. In the hospital, thinking while in that calm antiseptic air of the white room, that he realized what he was doing was the same treatment he was conditioned to believe:

"_The strong rules over the weak."_

What he was doing to Tsuna is the exact same treatment that he had received from his father. It was the belief in his fathers words. But he had found out that it wasn't true at all.

Tsuna coming to school everyday, despite the jeers and bullying. He did things that ever other person refused to take responsible for, and made friends with the impossible people who many considered untouchable. It defied every meaning his father said to him. That was the reason he felt the need to prove the words said to him every time.

Finding out his true reason in being such a bully to Tsuna, because of that… it disgusted him.

When he was released, the disgust increased when he finally opens his eyes to _see_ how his father treats his siblings as he was left to rest in his room like a prince (the heir to the corporation his father works at).

His siblings, Mamoru and Hiroshi (ages 9 and 10 respectively), had their heads bowed as his father shouted his disappointment in their grades and how they were dishonoring him in his company for being _incompetent in knowing something as simple as multiplications _(even when they had told him that they were just _starting _to understand the harder equations. And they were in different grades)_._ How they couldn't be like _Kensuke…HIM._

It continued like that for several minutes before he left to do some other business, not even bothering to console the now tearing up younger sons.

That moment of seeing his siblings crying without a sound, comforting each other, left his heart breaking in agony for not _seeing the truth of what he had almost become._

Coldhearted.

Un-compassionate.

Belittling of anyone considered weaker.

A _bully_.

He wasn't a _brother_.

He wasn't a _friend_.

He didn't brush the tears away for when someone needed to cry.

His siblings understood it better than him as they held each other to help themselves since Kensuke and their father wouldn't.

Finding it out like this was something he had to swallow whole.

So, he tries to become a better person.

The first step, was with his siblings. It was hard at first, trying to get them to trust him again. But when he managed to get them to smile at him, it lightened his heart. It made him realize just how long he had seen them smile _at him._

However, that same time he started seeing their smile, it was the beginning of a new hell altogether.

He was starting his second year at High School at the time.

Their father had suddenly lost his job due to complaints of so many employers and customers. Their lifestyle had to change from high-class to lower-mid-class. Instead of looking for new work, their father started to drink till he dropped.

And it didn't end there.

Instead of verbal abuse, it transformed into physical.

Kensuke, realizing this, jumped over his siblings, covering them as he took all the hits. When the beating let up and _that man_ (no longer considering as their father) went to sleep, Kensuke was left bleeding and bruised totally. Both Mamoru and Hiroshi (now 11 and 12) cried for him this time.

It made him happy for some reason. No, it was not the head injury. He was genuinely happy that he protected his siblings.

At first, the two wanted to go to the authority to report on the abuse. But they refrained. They were too afraid of loosing each other into the Foster-care system since they had no other living relatives left.

So, they kept silent and wrapped each others wounds.

The nightmare continued as they were falling into debts.

With that man now lazying about, not bothering to find a job and using their remaining known income like water with ever swig of the bottle, Kensuke had to start taking several part-time jobs to make ends meet. But he didn't want his siblings to come home when that man was drunk. So he asked the owners of each place to allow them to come along or work with him. Luckily they agreed and they made enough to pay most of the bills and for food.

Hard as it was, he felt satisfied.

But there was one thing that made him worry: His school grades were dropping.

Due to him becoming tired from working, he couldn't keep up with the material. His siblings didn't have to worry as much as the managers of the job wanted them to just work to a minimum. He was becoming someone of a failure and looked down upon. And with the grades he was making, he wouldn't be able to get into a university in order to find a high-paid job later on in his life.

His friends, he thought would stick by his side, turned away from him the moment they found out he was flunking. And by the end of the second and into the third, he was left alone.

Worse yet, his family was getting further into debt.

Depression began to set in at the failures he was accumulating and he was becoming close to ending everything. Until the memory Takeshi's suicide attempt rose from the depths of his mind. It almost seemed like a sign to him, to hear the words of wisdom from Tsunayoshi reverberate through him. Those words saved him that day. And saved his siblings from becoming alone with that man.

By mid-semester of his third-year in high school (when Kensuke turned 17); that man died from alcohol poisoning and things became a bit brighter for them.

Kensuke and his siblings didn't shed a tear on his funeral. If there was, it was for the happier times they had before everything changed. When that was, they couldn't even remember. All they were left from that man, was the bruises and scars left on their skin and heart… And, apparently, his will.

The man, somewhere during their time when they lived in the unhappy life of high-class people but still kind to smile at them, did some kind of inheritance insurance for them. The moment he made the insurance, he could never touch it, unless his sons get it for him.

It was a curious why the man didn't ask for them to do so, but it must be probably a laps of memory…or deep down, he still cared.

They wouldn't know now

Financially, they became stable; especially since the extra cash they received from their jobs.

The landlord allowed them to stay in another apartment (from what Kensuke heard, was to get a Feng-shui monk to cleanse the room of the karma it was accumulating from their stay there) with payment a bit lower than they had to pay for. The Mochida siblings, being unburdened of debt, began to excel again in their classes.

Kensuke, at the end of the year of his high school life, was hired as an instructor by the master of a Kendo dojo he had worked a few part-time jobs back. As time passed, and both him and his siblings graduated from university. He continued becoming an instructor and they going off to do whatever they wanted.

At age 22, Kensuke's mind wondered suddenly, as to what Sawada Tsunayoshi was doing now?

The brunette had changed throughout his school years; becoming confident, getting average to higher marks in tests, even excelling in PE. His looking became sharper, more handsomer by the days passed. People began to notice the change, stopped calling him _Dame_-Tsuna. He started getting fangirls. Sure there were still the strange moments, where he kept dashing out of the room and the occasional sounds of explosions when he was nearby, but he changed.

At the end of High school, he and his friends (even Ryohei and the demon prefect Kyouya, to many's shock) left Namimori to, apparently, Italy.

Why there? Many had wondered the same thing.

A year later, there were rumors of something brewing in that foreign land. And it worried a lot of people when they kept hearing the Mafia was raising up a war. There were also trouble brewing in Namimori. People (men and women) were going missing and/or turning up dead in areas they were not meant to be in. Children are no better as they never turn up after they were taken.

On more than one occasion even his students, trained to defend themselves in every situation disappear. After the fourth, Kensuke started patrolling the area just like the Namimori Diciplinary's used to do back in his days (they have dwindled down in their strictness after the demon prefect left).

However, upon the first meeting of those assailants, saving the ones that was being attacked and almost dying; he was introduced to flames (his being sun and rain) by a passing stranger who was looking into the problems (he believed his name was Lancia, or something like that. He wasn't that hard to forget, with that big ball that seemed to screech every time it was thrown by the guy and the scars on his face).

The next patrol he followed the guys advice to bring a katana with him, using the flames to help (and it did on many of them, saving many lives along the way).

The second time he met Lanchi-san, was during another patrol which he became too cocky. He was saved again and he asked the man as to why he was still around.

"My boss asked me to protect this town until he can get some more people to help since a lot of activity from the mafia has been picked up here. For the moment, Namimori has only me and a few others as the defense line," he answered solemnly. He then took out a golden crest giving it to him. "If you see anyone with this symbol, they are the ones protecting this town until reinforcements arrive. Know this symbol means that they will also know you are part of the defense. Vongola needs every man in this war and I have a feeling you can help us out."

After that he left and haven't seen the man since.

And the assaults escalated to around the world. His siblings met death soon after. Kensuke had weeped for them, his only siblings. He wanted to follow, but he knew he needed to protect Namimori.

With the ways things were going in Namimori, Kensuke felt somewhat worried about the former Namimori classmates that decided to move to Italy.

"Mochida-sensei," a student of his brought him out of his musing.

"Ah, sorry, Jouichi-kun. Did you say something?" he asked with a gentler tone.

"You have a visitor, senesi," the young teen said with a smile. "He said he's a friend, but I wasn't sure. He does have a kendo-shinai strapped to his back though."

"Ah, alright. Thanks for the notification, Jouichi-kun. You're free for today."

"Really!? Thanks sensei, you're the best! Bye!"

Shaking his head in amusement, the new Kendo dojo owner walked out to the hallway to meet with the guest. To his shock, it wasn't who he had expected.

The man hadn't changed much, besides his sharper features, a cut marring his chin and the more expensive-looking clothes; it was without a doubt, Yamamoto Takeshi.

Said man smiled like he did during their school years together when seeing him; raising his hand in a gesture before saying, "Yo, Mochida-sempai! Long time no see!"

"Yamamoto-san…what brings you here?" he asked curiously, his eyes flickering to the shinai that was indeed over the man's shoulder like his student had said. Kensuke curiously wondered, what made the baseball ace leave his favorite sport and into swordsmanship.

"Aww~ can't a guy greet the Kendo Captain?"

"I have some doubts about that, since we weren't that close."

"Ah, that's true," Takeshi's smile then dropped, his eyes sharpening like he was readying a serious business presentation. "I have come to ask for your help on something."

Attention heightening, after years of honing as a Kendo captain, he could feel the former baseball ace's aura radiating from him. Eyes narrowed, he asked, "What is it?"

"You meet Lancia-san, yeah?" he asked. Kensuke's eyes narrowed sharply, wondering why the man he met in passing was mentioned. But seeing the look in the other's eyes, he nodded. Takeshi pursed his lips tightly before asking another question. "Have you heard from him since?"

Kensuke's felt as if his stomach dropped out of his body, upon hearing that. "No…"

Immediately, he noticed how the teens body drooped, hands clenched. The former baseball ace breathed in with a bit of a hitch, closing his eyes as if in pain before opening them again to look down at the phone he had dug out.

It was blue touch-screen, top of the art, phone that was never displayed in other phone service stores. It also held a ornate golden seal…the same seal he was given by Lancia. A bullet in the middle, with Vongola etched on the bottom and guns crossing over like an X under a winged clam right over the bullet.

A bit of blue flames (surprising Kensuke) and the phone turned on to the home-screen contact page. He quickly pressed the first contact and it rang a few times before a smooth voice of Sawada Tsunayoshi came through crisp and clear like her was in front of them.

"Takeshi…what's the news." The voice of the brunette didn't sound happy with the call, as if knowing what news he was going to hear. And with Kensuke answering that simple question about the whereabouts of Lanchia, it wasn't.

"Lanchia's missing…"

A hitched breath, like Takeshi's, followed the answer before composing. "Mochida-sempai there then?"

"Yeah."

A pause, as if to triple think what to say. Tsunayoshi spoke to Kensuke for the first time not forced like in the past: "I am Sawada-Vongola Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo. But I bet you remember me, Mochida Kensuke. I would like you to formally accept you into the Vongola Famiglia. Please, help us in protecting Namimori's citizens until everything is over."

Kensuke was stunned, but he didn't have to be asked twice. Namimori…although having bad memories…also held the beginning of his change. And the person that changed his view was asking him to protect the town they both loved. He accepted without another thought.

He had a few meetings with the young Decimo after, along with the Guardians (Kyouya was a shocker for him and the others he had recruited) and the slowly weakening Acrobaleno. A few times he had spoken to Tsuna alone, and he was glad that the brunette didn't have any negative feelings towards him. They became close friends, calling each other by name.

As time passed the tragedies of the Vongola Famiglia's death and allies increased. Kensuke then heard that Tsuna had a plan, but he wouldn't divulge in what it was to anyone.

Three months later, after the friendship was formed, he ended up hearing that Tsuna had gone into the meeting with the Millefiore and returned in a casket.

It devastated him and everyone who grew loyal to the brunette.

In a sense of duty, he and the others rose up to a base without consulting anyone. They managed to demolish the whole base and the enemies, but in the end, he fell in to black.

He became a hero to the survivors, and a loyal friend and member of Vongola.

But soon, that reality would disappear. As soon as the 14 year old Tsuna and his Guardians took the war by a storm.

….

16 year old Mochida Kensuke woke up abruptly one morning. A few days after being released from the hospital. His mind confused by the memories that were his, but as well not.

He didn't know if it was true, but when one of the people he had recruited came up to him with the code they made, he knew that the memories of them joining the Vongola Famigila, a mafia, and died in declaration of the fallen Decimo, Sawada Tsunayoshi… they were all true.

So, the newly revived youthful-recruits, waited, watching their boss grow and changing themselves to be what they were in that other reality. They changed their past, into something they would be proud of earlier on in life.

They were changing the future with the soon-to-become Vongola Decimo Generation into a world they believe will give them and everyone peace.

When Kensuke finally could confirm his loyalty, it was during an announcement for the upcoming Namimori High School Festival. And he was happy that he could make things right early on in this life.


End file.
